Charles Micarelli: Founding UCF dean was loving, devoted father

Charles N. Micarelli on the UCF campus in 1970 (Courtesy of UCF, Courtesy…)

June 11, 2013|By Desiree Stennett, Orlando Sentinel

A life consumed by higher education, a love for the arts and an affinity for stamp collecting, ended with the death of one of the founding deans for the University of Central Florida.

Charles Micarelli — the youngest of nine children and son of Italian immigrants — was the first in his family to attend a university and he continued his education, eventually earning a doctorate degree in romance languages and literatures.

Micarelli, 83, died Monday of complications related to Parkinson's disease.

It was his thirst for academia that brought he and his wife, Sabina, together in 1955.

The couple met on The Liberté — a ship headed to France from New York carrying scholars who were to study abroad for about a year.

Sabina Micarelli was to play the violin at the Paris Conservatory of Music as Charles Micarelli worked on a dissertation focused on the poetry and literature of coal miners, his wife said.

"He loved people and related to them very well," Sabina Micarelli said of the loving and devoted father. "He was a very kind person and he would always help people in need."

The two decided to marry when they left France.

Micarelli taught at what is now Bradley University in Peoria, Ill. for a short time at the start of his career before moving to Tampa in 1960 to work for the University of South Florida.

There he became chairman of the Department of Foreign Languages.

In 1967, Micarelli moved to the Orlando area to become one of the founding deans of Florida Technological University — now the University of Central Florida.

Micarelli started his UCF career as the dean of Humanities and Social Sciences and held several administrative positions over the years, including dean of Humanities and Fine Arts, dean of Undergraduate Studies, associate vice president for Academic Affairs and professor of Foreign Languages.

He served in leadership roles and on the boards of directors of several arts organizations, including the Orlando Opera Company and the Atlantic Center for the Arts.

Micarelli also authored a book — Identification Guide to U.S. Stamps — that first printed in 1979 and is now in its sixth edition. He collected U.S. stamps printed from 1847 to 1934.

Micarelli was the last of UCF's founding deans to retire from his administrative post and focus on teaching in 1990. From 1990 to 1998, Micarelli taught French, Spanish, Italian and literature.

He is survived by his wife and two sons, Carl and John Micarelli.

Baldwin-Fairchild Funeral Home is handling services.

A memorial service will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday at Baldwin-Fairchild East Altamonte Chapel at 994 E. Altamonte Drive, Altamonte Springs.

A reception will follow at the Sheraton Orlando North Hotel, 600 N. Lake Destiny Drive, Maitland.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Parkinson Research Foundation.